Regent to offer simultaneous world cruises in 2009

[% 9668 | | Regent Seven Seas %] will offer not one, but two world cruises in 2009. The Seven Seas Voyager will depart for a 116-night journey on January 12 from Los Angeles, and the Seven Seas Mariner will embark on a 121-night voyage two weeks later from Ft. Lauderdale.

Each lengthy itinerary is broken down into seven- to 25-night segments, so travelers without four months of vacation time can experience a portion of a world cruise. The Voyager will circumnavigate the earth with visits to Australia and the South Pacific, Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Bermuda. The Mariner will take a different path, passing through South America, French Polynesia, Australia, Asia, Russia, and Alaska.

Per-person rates—are you ready for this?—start at $64,995 for either cruise. Individual segments start at $7,995 on the Voyager and $6,495 on the Mariner. These fares may seem high, but they include gratuities, beverages (including alcohol and bottled water), exclusive gifts, and special events. Still, at $537 per night for the lowest category stateroom, a Regent world cruise is clearly a once-in-a-lifetime sort of trip.